What started as a personal journey of a doctor turned patient morphed into a way to share what’s universal in dealing with cancer, in my case a nasty leukemia (CLL), a failed transplant and a successful clinical trial. The telling of my journey has become a journey to teach about CLL, related blood issues and all cancers. Please visit our new website http://cllsociety.org for the latest news and information. Smart patients get smart care™. If you want to reach me, email bkoffmanMD@gmail.com

Monday, September 13, 2010

More on Happiness

My long time friend from school days back in Montreal, Paul W, sent me this in response to my last post:

And this, from Solzhenitsyn :

“Do not pursue what is illusory – property and position; all that is gained at the expense of your nerves decade after decade, and is confiscated in one fell night. Live with a steady superiority over life – don’t be afraid of misfortune, and do not yearn after happiness; it is, after all, all the same: the bitter doesn’t last forever, and the sweet never fills the cup to overflowing.

“It is enough if you don’t freeze in the cold and if thirst and hunger don’t claw at your insides. If your back isn’t broken, if your feet can walk, if both arms can bend, if both eyes can see, and if both ears can hear, then who should you envy? And why? Our envy of others devours us most of all. Rub your eyes and purify your heart – and prize above all else in the world those who love you and who wish you well. Do not hurt them or scold them, and never part from any of them in anger; after all, you simply do not know; it might be your last act and that will be how you are imprinted in their memory.”

The Talmud asks:

Who is a rich man?

And answers:

One who is happy with his lot.

Those ancient rabbis were very Zen.

It is a guaranteed path to misery to compare yourself to those who appear to be more fortunate and happy. Rabbi Telushkin's mother said: "The only people that I know that are really happy are people that I don't know well."

The Russian author quoted here also reminds us in his closing lines that love is all you need and life is not predictable or controllable.

Please share your thoughts on happiness.

Later this week, my CT scan. To say I wasn't apprehensive would be mendacious. To let its approach shatter my joy, would be wanton. Why borrow trouble?

My newest take on "happiness," is that true happiness is accessible to anyone at anytime. We need only to decide - to experience joy also, in the midst of pain. I also believe that takes a lot of practice, that certain circumstances require a modified version of the word "joy," and that some people may never be able to fulfill this desire/decision but that the more we practice it, the more possible it is to do.

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About Me

BkoffmanMD@gmail.com
A family doc and husband of 1 and father of 4 and grandfather of 3 who loves his family and his work. I live with no TV and no microwave, but wouldn't last a minute without friends, art, music, books and the beach. Hockey, good jokes and exotic travel are pretty important too. Writing, Talmud and Zen give meaning to my life. My diet is organic vegan, often raw. I hope the blog makes the load lighter and the path both safer and more fun for those who read it or are going to similar places. I want to help. I crave your comments. If you are new to the blog, check out the portrait my son Will painted (it is the first post), and my very first text post.